• Home
• About Us
• News
• Career Guide
• Campus Diversity
• Helpful Links
• Join

Diversity and Inclusion news: At Work

OWS Prepares to Occupy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Between being kicked out of Zuccotti Park, barred from touching the Wall Street Bull statue, and arrested for lying down, it isn't hard to see why the protesters of Occupy Wall Street have had a hard time finding their feet in 2012. But on Sunday and Monday, the movement will take to the streets again to honor one of America's most famous protesters: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The events will begin with a Sunday night vigil at New York's Riverside Church, to be followed the next day by a baker's dozen protests across the nation against the Federal Reserve Bank.

For those who wonder how OWS -- which has largely focused on economic inequality -- can find a legitimate link between its causes and those of the slain civil rights leader, OWS press representative Kanene Holder makes the connection clearly.

While King is best known for his efforts to curb racism, she explains, his social justice efforts were actually far more extensive. "Everyone is familiar with Rev. King's 'I Have a Dream Speech,' " Holder notes, "But most people aren't aware of how much he embodied an anti-war and anti-poverty stance, as well as an anti-racism stance." Read Full Story

Diversity's Multiple Dividends

“Reflect our nation’s diversity is one of the five pillars of our company’s corporate social responsibility commitment,” explains Sarah Davis, chief financial officer, who joined Loblaw in 2007 as the senior vice-president of financial operations, rising to become CFO in 2010.

“As a finance person, I see diversity as a sensible business initiative in that the more our employees reflect our consumers, the better off we will be in understanding and serving our customers needs. Read Full Story

Diversity: Our Societal Imperative

Life experiences shape who we are and influence our value set. I have based my career on teaching others the value of diversity because I know firsthand what it feels like to experience racism. I grew up in a place where I looked different from everyone in my classes.

People didn't understand why I wanted to go to college because "folks like you don't go to college." In 1969 a landlord refused to rent me an apartment because I'm black; I filed a lawsuit that ended up in federal court. The judge ruled in my favor, and the outcome of this landmark case led to major changes in Massachusetts housing laws.

These experiences shaped who I am and cemented my value set. Diversity and its implications are very important to me - it's a part of almost everything I do - especially in the workplace. At my core, I believe it's our societal imperative to employ people with the same diverse backgrounds as the mix of ethnic, racial, and cultural differences we find in our society.

Our society is changing, and the world is changing - and each of us has a responsibility to reflect those changes in our choice of employees. Read Full Story

Diversity in Workplace Enhances Bottom Line

The commitment to diversity must be more than superficial, the researchers say.

“There are organizations that are doing what research and popular practice tells them to do. They are showing pictures of diverse workers on their website and say they have a commitment to diversity, but they’re not really going beyond what people may see as simply window dressing,” said Kristyn Scott, lead author of the study, The Diverse Organization: Finding Gold at the End of the Rainbow, and a professor with Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Management. “That’s contrasted with an organization that has woven diversity into every fibre of its corporate culture and business practices.”

“When you have an inclusive corporate culture, recruiting top talent becomes easier, group processes will be enhanced, which means employees are more likely to stay, which, in turn, increases the company’s bottom line,” said Scott, whose study has been published in the current issue of the journal Human Resource Management. Read Full Story

How the Military and Diversity Training Work For the Department of Defense:

It’s been 40 years since the military began training troops to accept each others’ differences and get along. And if anyone questions the value of diversity training, they need only to consider how much things have changed since it began, the director of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute says. “When we started in the ’70s, the armed forces were faced with behaviors that really were drastic in nature,” Ronald M. Joe told American Forces Press Service in a Nov. 28 interview. “We had folks who were fighting each other. There were race riots, and physical violence in the armed forces, with one service member against another.”
Read more: Dept. of Defense:

A Black Woman's Guide To Networking

This inspirational book is for black professional women and others who want to build cross-cultural relationships as they strive to excel in today's dynamic marketplace. In addition to practical networking tips, the book features advice from diverse professionals who have mastered the art of networking. Read more: BlackNews.com

Senior Leaders Convene to Share Diversity & Inclusion Strategies that Work:

45 Business Leaders of Color Featured at Chicago United's 8th Annual Changing Color of Leadership Conference and Bridge Awards Dinner

Companies and executive leaders looking for successful strategies to drive diversity and inclusion don't have to look any further. Chicago United, a business organization that promotes multiracial leadership in business to advance parity in economic opportunity, will equip senior executives with strategies for professional development, growing the multiracial leadership pipeline, and advancing inclusive practices in national and global business environments during its highly-regarded annual event.Read more: PRNewsWire